Secondary metabolites from hairy roots of Tanacetum parthenium

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Sch. Bip.) is an ornamental and medicinal plant. Its preparations are mainly used for migraine prophylaxis. Complex mixture of T. parthenium secondary metabolites contain among others, sesquiterpene lactones and spiroketalenolether diacetylenes. From the roots of plant transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA 9402 four diacetylenes and two coumarins were isolated, including the sesquiterpene coumarin ether 9-epipectachol B, a new natural product. The influence of exogenously applied salicylate and methyl jasmonate on diacetylene accumulation pattern was studied. Both signal molecules induced significant changes in the diacetylene accumulation suggesting that the compounds are involved in the plant defence.